Two-stage collapse of unimolecular micelles with double thermoresponsive coronas.

Phase transition behavior of unimolecular micelles with thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coronas.

This paper describes the double phase transition behavior of a thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) brush at the surface of a hydrophobic core. Reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) was conducted by using a hyperbranched polyester (Boltorn H40) based macroRAFT agent. The resultant multiarm star block copolymer (H40-PNI...

Fabrication of multiresponsive shell cross-linked micelles possessing pH-controllable core swellability and thermo-tunable corona permeability.

A double hydrophilic ABC triblock copolymer, poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PDEA-b-PDMA-b-PNIPAM), containing the well-known pH-responsive PDEA block and thermoresponsive PNIPAM block, was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization via sequential monomer addition using ethyl 2-chloropropionate as the i...

Synthesis of amphiphilic tadpole-shaped linear-cyclic diblock copolymers via ring-opening polymerization directly initiating from cyclic precursors and their application as drug nanocarriers.

We report on the facile synthesis of well-defined amphiphilic and thermoresponsive tadpole-shaped linear-cyclic diblock copolymers via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) directly initiating from cyclic precursors, their self-assembling behavior in aqueous solution, and the application of micellar assemblies as controlled release drug nanocarriers. Starting from a trifunctional core molecule cont...

Effects of architecture on the stability of thermosensitive unimolecular micelles.

The influence of architecture on polymer interactions is investigated and differences between branched and linear copolymers are found. A comprehensive picture is drawn with the help of a fluorescence approach (using pyrene and 4HP as probe molecules) together with IR or NMR spectroscopy and X-ray/light scattering measurements. Five key aspects are addressed: (1) synergistic intramolecular comp...

Probing the causes of thermal hysteresis using tunable N agg micelles with linear and brush-like thermoresponsive coronas† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: NMR spectra of small molecules and polymers, SEC chromatograms of the polymers, DLS, SLS and turbidimetry data for the micelles, a discussion of the chain density of micelles 11–15, additional calculations regarding the core composition of polymers 1–5 and definitions and calculations related to the light scattering data. See DOI: 10.1039/c6py01191h Click here for additional data file.